The African Democratic Congress has rejected the revised 2026 to 2027 electoral timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, alleging that it contains boobytraps aimed at sidelining opposition parties and clearing the path for President Bola Tinubu to run without effective challenge in the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party criticised new compliance conditions introduced under Sections 77 and 82 of the Electoral Act 2026, arguing that the requirements place disproportionate burdens on opposition parties while giving the ruling party structural advantages. INEC’s timetable directs political parties to submit full digital membership registers by April 2, 2026, ahead of primaries scheduled between April 23 and May 30. The ADC said this creates an almost impossible barrier that could stop many opposition parties from fielding candidates.
The party highlighted that Section 77(7) states that any party that misses the submission deadline becomes ineligible to present a candidate. It described this clause as an exclusion tool rather than a routine administrative rule. It also noted that the digital register must contain detailed personal information, National Identification Numbers and photographs, and that pre existing registers that do not meet these standards are invalid. Non compliance leads to disqualification.
The ADC alleged that the ruling party began assembling its digital register in February 2025, giving it a substantial head start. It said this amounted to insider advantage and misuse of incumbency, especially as other parties are now required to complete the same complex process within weeks. The statement argued that democratic competition requires a level playing field and that any system granting a single party a year long advantage is fundamentally compromised.
The ADC said it has aligned with other opposition parties in rejecting what it calls a corrupted Electoral Act 2026 and the revised timetable that flows from it. It stated that it will not take steps that could legitimise a framework it considers fraudulent and is currently reviewing its options before announcing its next actions.
The statement also urged civil society, democratic institutions and Nigerians across political divides to scrutinise the timetable and demand equitable rules, warning that democracy cannot endure when electoral procedures appear designed to predetermine outcomes.
